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Ramadan in 2008 will start on Monday, the 1st of September and will continue for 30 days until Tuesday, the 30th of September. Based on sightability in North America, in 2008 Ramadan will start in North America a day later - on Tuesday, the 2nd of September. Note that in the Muslim calander, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Muslims will celebrate Ramadan on the sunset of Sunday, the 31st of August. Although Ramadan is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, since the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar and the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. This difference means Ramadan moves in the Gregorian calendar approximately 11 days every year. The date of Ramadan may also vary from country to country depending on whether the moon has been sighted or not. The dates provided here are based on the dates adopted by the Fiqh Council of North America for the celebration of Ramadan. Note that these dates are based on astronomical calculations to affirm each date, and not on the actual sighting of the moon with the naked eyes. This approach is accepted by many, but is still being hotly debated. Do's and don'ts in Dubai during Ramadan Some simple rules to follow for non-muslims for the duration of Ramadan - Avoid eating, drinking and smoking in public. (between sunrise and sunset) - If purchasing food and/or drink between sunrise and sunset, items must be enclosed in a bag, until not in the view of the public. - Life goes on as normally as ever during Ramadan. All restaurants in hotels are open, certain other restaurants remain open during daytime to serve non Muslim customers.
During fast, the following things are permissible (for muslims) - Taking a bath or shower. If water is swallowed involuntarily it will not invalidate the fast. According to most of the jurists, swimming is also allowed in fasting, but one should avoid diving, because that will cause the water to go from the mouth or nose into the stomach. - Using perfumes, wearing contact lenses or using eye drops. - Taking injections or having a blood test. - Using miswak (tooth-stick) or toothbrush (even with tooth paste) and rinsing the mouth or nostrils with water, provided it is not overdone (so as to avoid swallowing water). - Eating, drinking or smoking unintentionally, i.e., forgetting that one was fasting. But one must stop as soon as one remembers and should continue one’s fast. - Sleeping during the daytime. - Kissing between husband and wife is allowed in fasting, but one should try to avoid it so that one may not do anything further that is forbidden during the fast. Offensive acts during fasting - Backbiting, slander - To lie or deceive - To use abusive language - Not having iftar - Gargling water due to thirst or hot weather. - Wrapping oneself with wet clothes. - Weakening the body (e.g. strenuous sport) - Gathering saliva and then swallowing it; Fast is not obligatory for: - Old men and women - Pregnant women and nursing mothers - A person who has thirst-disease Please note that these rules will be updated shortly
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